Phase change or Chemical Reaction

Last week we completed the "Applying Heat" lab. Through heating different compounds we tried to infer whether the compound was a reactant or not. Did it go through a chemical change, or did we just make it go through phase change? Students know now as they created a table through observations above the bunsen burner.

Exothermic, Endothermic reaction plus the production of gases! Wow

Mass, Volume Density of Everything!

This week we will find the density of many objects using several methods, thus proving that the person on the bottom of a pig pile has gotten denser for that moment!

Variables and the Record & Analyze Step

When students did their experiments on Temperature and Matter, were their experiments valid? Did students get expected results?

Convection

What is a convention current? What's a fluid? We are going to use our noses to sense a convection current in this class. Later we'll use food coloring and water with heat to watch what happens. What do you think, another convection current?

Phase Change?!

Students are finding temperatures and creating spreadsheets of data to determine what it takes to make a phase change happen! It doesn't seem to be the same thing as a chemical reaction. Stay tuned!

Matter. What's the Matter?

We are ready for matter and atomic study as students try to understand the particle make-up of individual elements. Through an electrolysis experiment, students separated Water into H2 and O2.

Welcome to Eighth Grade!

   It's time to get serious about how the Universe works and what we know and think we know and well..... don't really know. We'll start with matter. This stuff really has everything to do with E = mc ^{2 .
   We'll also review a little about what we did last year, and start out using the scientific method, which you already know. I'm excited!} 

Welcome to Eighth Grade!

   It's time to get serious about how the Universe works and what we know and think we know and well..... don't really know. We'll start with matter. This stuff really has everything to do with E = mc ^{2 .
   We'll also review a little about what we did last year, and start out using the scientific method, which you already know. I'm excited!} 

Gravity.....what is it really?

As we work to finish explaining photosynthesis to a 6-year-old, we must get ready for rockets by understanding a little about Newton's Laws. We begin with simple in-class demos and a gravity simulation on the white board.

Tree ID

We'll be losing our computers this week and the weather is bright, so let's find different tree species using Forest Trees of Maine.   We'll also work towards building rockets in the coming weeks for next year's Newton's Laws!

Photosynthesis.... a Chemical Reaction that Saves Our Cells!

Chemical reactions are happening every time the sunlight strikes a plant. Can you explain how?
Students will be trying to do just that as they investigate simple chemical reactions and apply what they know to help explain photosynthesis to a 6 year-old ........... Mr. Veayo.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/photosynthesis.html

Mercury Transit

Today Mercury moves across the star, our Sun,  between us the Earth. When you see an object in front of another it's called an astronomical transit. let's watch it from Nasa. It's too small to see without a telescope and special filter to protect our eyes. Watch here: http://mercurytransit.gsfc.nasa.gov/

After April Vacation It's Time For The Bike

We are back and ready to complete the ABS Packet and move to comparing body systems to a bike. Yup you heard correctly (especially if you read aloud) Bikes! A bike is one of the greatest machines that can help your machine (human body) stay in shape. It has all the same functions and we'll compare the two this week.

Goldenrod Gall Fly Lab

    Remember Parasitism, Mutualism, and Commensalism along with Predator/Prey? Well take a look at this! Let's do a lab!
!

Build Time

With testing this week (MEA), students are finding it hard to work science. But....our ABS body systems are really looking great however! So........during this week we are strictly building!

ABS and Being Human

As you build the Artificial Body System,  putting all the organs together, think about being a human being and how sometimes we forget about the best part of us, our compassion for others.

Snapshot

As we start building the various body systems in the human body, we'll also take a glimpse into the similarities and differences of other species in the Animal Kingdom. Students will take a snapshot of a wild animal and find its genus and species name or its binomial nomenclature.

Back from Vacation

Welcome back! We'll be assigning students with body systems to build. Gathering supplies from home and school, students will construct working systems that could connect to other working systems.

Body System Demo

   This last week students performed skits like the one below to illustrate the connection between different body stems in Homo sapiens. We'll be adding new systems to our notes on the way to creating an Artificial Body System.
   Also we are going to try to save the snow. Students who are interested, can create a device that saves snow. After we test and gather results through measurement, those participants receive ice cream in honor of their attempted brave accomplishments.

Chicken Wing Dissection

This week we will dissect the chicken wing looking for the following parts:

Compact Bone

Spongy Bone

Periosteum

Bone pore

Skeletal Muscle

Fascia

Cartilage

Ligament

Tendon

Bone Marrow

Vein

Artery

Once we find this parts, students will photo them and insert each picture to the notes that they have been creating with Inspiration 8.

Analogies of Functions within the Human Body

It takes certain ways of looking at things to figure out how stuff works. If you can compare things you know or experience to parts of the human body, you'll understand how we function. Take a look at this video. To me it represents the function of ................ in the Circulatory System.

Natural Selection

We've been reading and discussing Evolution especially in the Galapagos Island. We worked with a simulation that helped explain what Darwin found in this area in 1831.
  At the same time, we are working hard to understand the parts and functions of the Human Body. Students are using Inspiration * to take notes and complete a web of valuable information.